I Received System to Become Dragonborn

Chapter 507: Detecting

After the conversation with Erend, Adrius descended slowly from the air while thinking about the implications of what they had just discussed. His boots touched the ground with a soft thud as he landed near the fallen beast. The giant creature's massive form lying still in the blood-soaked earth. Despite its defeat Adrius couldn't shake the lingering sense of unease that clung to him.

He approached the beast cautiously and began to examine it more closely. The creature was huge with fur matted with blood and dirt. Its body exuded an unnatural aura. Adrius kneeling beside the beast and extended his hand. Using his Magic to flow into the body to search for any clues or signs that could explain the strange feeling that still gnawed at him.

As his Magic seeped into the creature Adrius felt a pulse of dark energy that sent a chill up his spine. He closed his eyes to focus more intently, and soon the truth began to reveal themselves.

Beneath the beast's thick fur and hardened muscles Adrius detected blackened veins that pulsed with a dark residue. They were twisted and corrupted and coursing through the creature's body like a network roots. His fingers traced these lines of corruption.

"This isn't just any ordinary beast," Adrius murmured to himself. "It's been corrupted. His body altered by some form of dark Magic."

He pressed his hand against the creature's massive chest and a faint glow emitted from his palm as he delved deeper into the beast's essence. The more he probed the more apparent it became that this creature had once been just a regular bear, perhaps a native to the forests surrounding the kingdom.

But something had twisted it and transformed it into the monstrous form that now lay before him. The dark Magic had seeped into its very being and turning it into a mindless, destructive force.

Adrius pulled his hand away with a look of shock and worry on his face. The implications of what he had discovered weighed heavily on him. Someone or something had deliberately corrupted this bear turning it into a weapon of chaos. And if they had done it once, they could do it again.

He stood up, his gaze sweeping across the battlefield, taking in the sight of the other fallen beasts. Could they all have been corrupted in the same way? If so, it meant that the enemy they faced was far more cunning and dangerous than he had initially thought.

Adrius clenched his fists, his mind racing with possibilities. Whoever or whatever was responsible for this was still out there, hiding in the shadows. He needed to uncover the truth behind this dark Magic and stop whoever was wielding it before more creatures could be corrupted and unleashed upon the kingdom.

Adrius turned his gaze toward the horizon. This battle may have been over, but the war was far from won.

Adrius then fly back into the sky and toward his tower. He landed softly on the balcony and without hesitation Adrius strode through the arched doorway and into the dimly lit chamber beyond. He made his way to a small alcove where several potions were neatly arranged and grabbed two vials. One of them filled with a rich blue liquid and the other with a vibrant green.

Without wasting any time he uncorked the first vial and downed the contents in one swift motion, feeling the potion's Magic immediately begin to restore his depleted energy. He followed it with the green potion, which worked quickly to mend his physical injuries, easing the lingering pain in his muscles and bones.

After his Magic and health restored, Adrius set the empty vials aside and turned his attention to the task at hand. He crossed the chamber and scanning the numerous shelves and storage boxes. He rifled through them quickly. Scrolls were pushed aside, boxes were opened and closed, until finally, after a few tense minutes, his hand brushed against something familiar.

"There you are," Adrius muttered as he pulled out a small black crystal ball about the size of his palm. The smooth surface of the crystal glinted in the low light, and he could feel the latent power humming within it.

Adrius moved to a large wooden table in the center of the chamber. He placed the crystal ball on the table and stepped back. He channeled his Magic toward the crystal. His fingers moving in a precise pattern as he whispered spell. The crystal ball responded, slowly lifting off the table to hover a few inches above it.

Adrius concentrated. This artifact was a relic that have the ability to detect transformation Magic. It was a tool Adrius had used sparingly, only in the most dire situations.

With a deep breath Adrius extended his hands toward the crystal, channeling a steady stream of Magic into it. The crystal began to glow faintly. As the glow intensified the crystal started to pulse.

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Adrius's eyes narrowed as he watched the crystal work. It rotated slowly. He could feel the artifact's Magic searching for any residual traces of the transformation spell that had turned a mere bear into a monstrous creature. Adrius remained silent as the crystal continued its search.

Minutes passed. Then the glow inside the artifact intensified sharply. The pulsing rhythm grew quicker and the crystal spun faster in place, as if it had locked onto something.

Adrius leaned closer to the glowing orb. The artifact was zeroing in on the source of the transformation Magic. The light inside the crystal coalesced into a bright point, and with a sudden flash, it projected an image into the air above the table.

The image was hazy at first, but as Adrius focused his Magic through the crystal, the details began to sharpen. He could see the outline of a figure — tall, cloaked in shadow, with eyes that gleamed crimson.

Adrius's eyes widened. This was no ordinary Mage; the power being wielded was ancient, dark, and far more dangerous than he had anticipated. The figure in the image turned slightly, revealing more of its form, and Adrius felt a cold chill run down his spine. There was a familiarity to the way the Magic was cast.

Then, the figure's face came into view, partially obscured by a hood but enough for Adrius to catch a glimpse of its features.

Adrius staggered back, his concentration breaking as the crystal's light dimmed. The image flickered once, then faded entirely, leaving the room bathed in darkness once more. He stood there, breathing heavily.

"Is he really him?" Adrius muttered.

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